


Don't Make a Girl a Promise

by KittieValentine



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: AU, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Childhood Friendship, Earth, F/M, Flash Clone, Halo - Freeform, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Insubordination, MIA - Freeform, Oni, Past Relationship(s), Protective, Rescue, SPARTAN Program, SPARTAN-II, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Smut, UNSC, covenant, installation, relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-16
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 01:14:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23676694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittieValentine/pseuds/KittieValentine
Summary: 'Thinking about his childhood, his life before he was conscripted, was a luxury he had not allowed himself in thirty years.He had always known his fate. He knew someday he would die in battle. But now that it is here, now that it is time to die, he finds he is  not ready.'
Relationships: John-117 | Master Chief/Parisa, John/Parisa, Spartan-117/Lieutenant Parisa
Comments: 69
Kudos: 50





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all and welcome to my first Halo posting! I've wanted to post for the Halo fandom for a few years now but didn't have the confidence for some completely unknown reason! 
> 
> Perhaps I'm just nervous because I know how much we all love MC and we don't want him to get distracted or written out of character.  
> I am referencing key dates and events but this story is canon based so if a Halo AU isn't your preference, I'd move on to something up your street!
> 
> A thank you to my partner who is helping me with the lore and proofreading my work over and over. And a massive thank you to Ladywolvesbane who has supported and encouraged me to get this out there. Read her work! Thank you *kisses*

**August 3, 2517  
Elysium City, UEG Outer Colony,  
Eridanus II**

Drowning. Drowning? The question kept flashing through her mind like the regular tick of a clock. The slow motion of the pendulum swinging as it cast its decision to send her to the depths of the lake. Parisa was drowning. Water flooding her mouth, filling her nose and burning her eyes. Her screams went unheard to the outside world, the only evidence being the seemingly innocent bubbles that danced on the surface before bursting into thin air. The dull sound of the water filled her ears and won the battle to disorientate her.

Thrashing. Parisa absentmindedly flailed her tired and icy limbs that felt a thousand times heavier than they were. She fought the strong, prickly hands that were pulling her towards the black. It stung at her skin, the cold burrowing deep in her muscle and penetrating the bone. She felt something dislodge, a dull snap. It was as if something had broken free. Then the pain came. Parisa did not think this could be any more painful; it was like a thousand knives stabbing into her whole body. She could cry an ocean of tears into this lake, this cruel beast that was swallowing her effortlessly. 

Frozen. That’s how she felt. Her vision greying and becoming tunnelled, and then the lurching started. The painful seizures inflicting within her chest that screamed out that she was facing her last few moments in this world. She could see red. Was she bleeding? On the other hand, was this just the end? For just a second, Parisa felt a moment of peace as if she had accepted her fate but something inside of her objected, and she screamed. The water was in her lungs. 

Pain. It would have been easier for her just to submit and let this strange, endless abyss drag her down gently but someone had a much different idea. Parisa felt something against her numb body, a shapeless mass holding onto her. Maybe the sickle had come to strike her down. Air filled her lungs and tiny bubbles tickled at her cheeks; it was as if she had ascended to heaven. Just one more breath she begged to herself; Parisa let the thought linger as something held onto her. 

Panic. She tried thrashing again but admittedly, she was too tired and weak to care or move anymore. The water was cold, so cold but then she felt a warmth, a wave of gentle warmth ghosting over her skin. Just one more breath. Please?

Whilst Parisa fell limp and between the realm of unconsciousness , little did she know that her body was currently in arms that were deceptively strong, carrying her from the lake as if she weighed no more than a feather. Her unknown saviour found a small clearing amongst the foliage and placed her down gently, her back arching as his hands were wrapped around the small of it. She must have wandered too far into the lake, he assessed but then the ground beneath her began to turn red almost as if it was blushing and then he knew. Without even thinking, he tore a strip from his own jacket and wrapped the material tightly around the wound. Time slowed as the cloudy-grey fabric soaked up the blood, turning to burgundy and warm against his hands. It was the only movement Parisa’s body offered as her heart seemed to have given up in the water. He set his hands over the centre of her chest and pushed sharply three times, bending down to listen for breath. Nothing. He could feel the cold escaping her body when he was so accustomed to her warmth. He knew that his desperate attempts at resuscitation were failing rapidly and that every second was crucial. 

In the harrowing edge that he was riding with Parisa, he granted himself one brief moment of thought to what he would feel without her. Sadness. Loss. Would he recover without her? He didn't wait to find that out. Confidently, he pinched Parisa’s nostrils together and parted her lips slightly. He felt strange, like he wanted her to be conscious for this, but that was not going to happen if he kept faltering. He took a deep breath and pressed his mouth firmly against her lips, the seal between them tight as he blew the life he just inhaled into her lungs.

Blow, two, three, four. He pressed his ear against her flat chest. Nothing. Inhale. Blow, two, three, four. He placed his index and forefinger against her neck to check for a pulse. Nothing. Inhale. Blow, two, three-  
Parisa violently lurched forward, her coughs gurgled as she expelled the water that had invaded her body. Her breaths were laboured as her body demanded oxygen, her chest heaving, her body weak. With eyes black with fright, she gazed up at her young saviour before gasping his name.  
“John…”

"It's alright, I'm here," he spoke lowly, keeping his hands on her like a blanket of security that would keep her from returning to the dark. Parisa's teeth were chattering and her skin was covered in white goose-bumps as the light forest breeze tickled against her wet skin.  
"Here, you need to warm up," John leaned over to grab the garment he'd discarded as he had run down the gentle bank of the lake. They had arranged to make camping a weekly activity and Parisa had nominated herself to erect their shared tent whilst John was to bring spare rolls of blanket, torches and meet her at the previously chosen spot. They were best friends and there was something special in their friendship, a mature connection that made their company more about experiences than simply larking about and having fun. A second thought hadn't even manifested as the sound of splashing water had rung in his ears. He sprinted down the bank, dropping the rucksack of supplies and snapping his arms in an attempt to remove his jacket before diving rather expertly into the inky black water. 

He gently encouraged Parisa to sit up enough for him to wrap her in the fleece-lined jacket that was gifted to him on his last birthday. John was naturally warm even after spending those few crucial minutes in the subzero temperatures of the glacial water to rescue her and his scent was a comfort for his friend who lay on the thick grass beside him, breaths only just setting to a regular pace.  
Shock had left Parisa silent until she managed to breathe a word of thanks to the boy who in response pulled her into a supportive hug, a silent pact to keep the tragic accident between them.  
"The rock isn't as stable from this side, it breaks up easily," the statement felt almost like justification for her nearly drowning but Parisa appreciated it all the same. John shifted to his knees, checking her over for any fresh signs of injury or trauma but satisfied that there was nothing more, he took her chilled hand.  
"Let's go back to mine, my parents think we're camping so they're staying the night somewhere else." Parisa nodded wearily and held onto John's hand as they walked through the forest and toward the outskirts of the town, twigs snapping underfoot as they went.

/-/-/-/

They arrived at John's home, which was of modular design, an architectural method introduced to efficiently colonise planets. The door unlocked after scanning his biometrics and the hydraulics hissed causing Parisa to screw up her face. It gave John an innocent smirk, he knew Parisa was sensitive to sudden changes in pitch which was one of her quirks.  
He brushed a clump of wet hair from her cheek and prised the jacket from her. The climate was a lot more pleasant than she was expecting but the clothes on her back were still cold and sopping wet.

"You can borrow some of my clothes tonight, I'll dry these for you," Parisa had visited John's house enough times to know his wardrobe and where everything was kept, so at that she trudged toward the stairs leaving dark, wet foot patches as she went.  
John listened to make sure she made it upstairs okay and boiled some water to make two cups of cocoa, he liked the way his mother did it so mixed a splash of milk into the powder. A good few minutes were spent stirring the mixture, he wouldn't forget the first time he bought Parisa a hot chocolate from the school canteen after he was given some credits to spend. She took the last swig and got a mouthful of unmixed powder granules which looked unpleasant to be perfectly honest; he learned from that experience.  
Knowing that Parisa was upstairs changing, John quickly grabbed some fresh linen from the laundry basket he noticed his mother had left and changed into the fresh smelling clothes. He screwed the wet items into a ball and put them into the condenser to forget about and grabbed the two mugs left on the counter.

With all of the downstair lights switched off, John carefully made his way up, cautious not to spill any of the scolding hot drinks. Parisa had cocooned herself in his duvet already and changed into one of his shirts and a pair of sweatpants.  
"I borrowed some underwear too," she proclaimed matter-of-factly.  
"You borrowed my underwear?" John wasn't sure whether he was grossed out or confused at that. His best friend wearing - borrowing even, his underwear and a girl at that.  
"I'm not wearing no underwear, that's just odd!"  
"It's odd that you're wearing mine," he countered.  
"I can't wear none can I?" He blushed at that and also noted the colour that had returned to Parisa's tanned cheeks. She was unnaturally pale when he pulled her from the lake and whilst he felt the panic rise inside him, he managed to compartmentalise and use it to drive him on. In the end, it had saved his best friend's life.  
'Mission accomplished,' he thought to himself.

"I made us cocoa, it'll warm you up." Parisa winced as she raised her arm to reach for the mug, that was when John remembered her injury and the blood. He quickly strode to the bathroom and grabbed what was a modest First Aid box that was kept on a floating shelf. A little bit of fumbling and a small pile of items had been made including wipes, gauze, a roll off bandages and microporous tape.  
"It might be painful," he offered as he unravelled the material of his jacket from her arm. Part of it stuck to where the blood had partially dried and a light tug was needed to separate the two.  
"Your jacket," Parisa exclaimed  
with a hint of sadness in her voice.  
"It doesn't matter, I'll patch it up with something."  
"It was a present though." John chose not to answer and instead ripped open an antibacterial wipe; the wound looked clean which would help during the healing. 

Parisa sucked in harshly through her teeth as the alcohol stung at the edges of the cut, like an incessant throbbing that made her want to groan aloud. Her eyes watered and it tickled at her sinuses.  
"It was probably one of the shales, at least it's fresh water, it won't get infected." John hoped that it would heal okay but it was rather deep, scarring would be likely.  
"What am I going to tell my parents John? They won't let me camp if they find out what happened," Parisa was troubled by the idea of missing out on an excursion with her best friend because of a silly mistake on her part. John thought on her comment and proceeded to grab the roll of bandage. Lining it up with the cut he wrapped it tightly a good few layers and put some strips of microporous tape to hold it in place.  
"If you're lucky it won't scar but just wear something long-sleeved then your parents won't see it," he offered with a shrug of his shoulders as he nestled in beside her. 

Parisa adjusted the duvet to include him and sipped quietly on her cocoa, thinking back on the ordeal and suddenly appreciating the simple things around her.  
"Just be careful, I might not always be there to protect you." Parisa looked up at him in an almost calculating manner, perhaps she thought he was insinuating she would fall into troubled waters again.  
"I promise though that from now on, I'm gonna protect you," John nodded in affirmation to himself that this was his plan and he was going to see it through. He looked down to Parisa to make sure she believed him; she was listening intently.  
"And then when we're old enough, I'll marry you." Parisa tutted her tongue and rolled her eyes.  
"Don't make a girl a promise if you know you can't keep it," she mocked but John confidently objected.  
"You know me when I make a promise - I keep it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, thank you for all of the support with this fic, I'm trying my best with this one and one should give nothing but the best for our lovely Spartan-to-be!
> 
> This chapter is a little uneventful but it introduces us to some of John's traits which helped to ear-mark him for the Spartan Program. I'm also heavily focusing on our lovely pair of characters - John and Parisa, their relationship is so endearing but very soon that will come apart! 
> 
> Love you all, please leave Kudos if you make it to the end and comments are most welcomed x

**August 17, 2517  
Elysium City, UEG Outer Colony,  
Eridanus II**

It had been a fortnight since the incident at lake Gusev and the wound on Parisa's bicep had scabbed over heavily and pink scar tissue circled the edge. It was still delicate to the touch but Parisa had been successful in hiding it from her parents, applying an antiseptic serum each day. John checked it whenever he saw his friend which was most days, a simple gesture to signify that he cared for her wellbeing. 

Parisa turned over in her bed, enveloping herself in the natural warmth as the system's sun cast it's dawn rays through her window. She enjoyed watching the dust particles float through the air like a ballet; it gave her the time she needed for the sleep to leave her body. With a refreshing sigh, she drew back the duvet and proceeded to stretch each limb which ended with her sprawling all over the mattress but feeling greatly satisfied; she lifted herself up and with a soft yawn, made her way to the bathroom while it was empty.  
The water ran hot from the faucet and Parisa took her facial cloth to wet it, taking care to squeeze out the excess water. Pressing it to her face, she let the steam cleanse her pores. Luckily, her hair didn't knot much so it only required a quick brush before she made her way downstairs where her mother was preparing some breakfast. Her father worked in bioengineering sometimes alongside John's father who worked in the research department; it was a profitable industry with research being the driving force. The comfortable income meant they could afford a good quality of life regardless of the galactic war that raged on.

"What would you like honey?" asked Parisa's mother as a kettle of water boiled. She settled for something fresh and simple, listening to her father take a call in the lounge as she ate before sipping on the fruit infusion her mother had boiled the water for. It had cooled enough to quickly drink and the peach flavour was sharp against her morning taste-buds which quickly awoke.

"I'm going down to the lake with John's father, we're going run some water samples if you want to join us, I'm sure John will be there." Parisa's father had always been strict and assertive over her education and daily activities but he was like her second best friend - second to John of course and she loved nothing more than to accompany him and learn new things. Parisa nodded enthusiastically, earning a smile from the man who was busy preparing sample vials and injecting each one with a universal indicator.  
"You go and get ready and we'll head down yes?" Parisa put her cup and plate at the sink and ran back upstairs to put on some clothes, taking care to find a shirt with long enough sleeves. 

The system's sun cast a hue on the horizon, it was unique, pleasant and somehow made the days feel warmer. Parisa left her father's side to run over to John who was sat idle amongst the marram grass.  
"Everyone's been calling you bully you know?" John shrugged nonchalantly, the nickname had evolved from bull and it certainly wasn't used with any malice although, some of the boys from school were becoming rather envious of John's skill.  
"How many are you on now?" Parisa plucked a long blade of the grass and split it in half lengthways.  
"Forty-five," John was sat with his legs stretched out in front of him and playfully tapped his feet together as they both watched the men at work.  
"You should be careful playing King of the Hill, you'll get hurt too one day," Parisa stated as a matter of fact, which reminded John.  
"How's your arm? Let me see," he reached out for her hand which she offered without hesitation. He gently twisted as she rolled up the sleeve to reveal the mark. He hummed, satisfied with it's progress and watched intently as Parisa rolled the sleeve back down.  
"Thank you," she whispered, leaning over to give him a light peck on the cheek in appreciation. The small act of kindness took him back to the night he rescued her but only briefly, the thought that he'd already kissed her flashed innocently through his mind and his cheeks suddenly felt a little warmer. 

The winds from the previous evenings had taken their toll and one of the large branches from a mountain ash tree had severed. It was already partially buried by the sand but it's ruby red pines and berries were still proudly blossomed. Parisa thought it would be a fun balancing game and so she dragged John up with her and he held onto her hand so she could balance along the log. The soft pine leaves tickled at her bare feet and she giggled softly.

The two men whom they originally accompanied to the lake had already gathered a number of samples due for testing and had begun to photograph the situ. John's father had noticed the children having fun and suggested to Parisa's father that they take a photo as a momento. Whilst he recognised that it was a perfect time for Parisa to revise for her upcoming core exams, he wanted her to remember happy times and moments she enjoyed. Moments she spent with John were always joyous and he found it endearing. John didn't let go of Parisa's hand, even for the photo; they posed together, Parisa still balancing on the mountain ash branch with John supporting her. 

/-/-/-/-/

**August 18, 2517  
Elysium City Primary Education Facility Number 119**

The page of the revision book flipped over as a light breeze pinched the corner of the page. Parisa tutted in annoyance at losing her place and turned the page back for the umpteenth time, trying desperately hard to help the information sink in. Core subjects were covered from a much earlier age these days and whilst she was spritely enough to understand it, this in particular was an advanced topic of science that she was studying for the higher set. John had already finished his revision and promised to help if she was found to struggle, he was a highly intelligent young boy but never gloated like children did from time to time. It was always the teachers who drew attention to his talents, almost as if they were frustrated by the boy's enthusiasm. It was mid-morning and the sun was slowly rising in the sky, leaving a comfortable warmth on Parisa's skin. It was the kind of warmth you could happily stroll along in, through the forest where the breeze liked to wrap around the trunks of the mountain ash trees. The shade had started to shield Parisa so she placed her pen back in her slim pencil case and creased the corner of the page over to mark where she reached in her revision textbook. She glanced through the notes she'd made; titles underlined, brief descriptions, hypothesis, formulae, all to show that she was trying to understand the subject; she finally decided that it would need further reading and a little help from John. Her mint-blue notebook was carefully slid into her bag, along with the revision material and pencil case, all tessellating to fit perfectly. The two zips were pulled simultaneously to meet at the top of the backpack where her keyring now dangled freely. 

She looked over at the sand pit to find John still tackling a group of boys whom she did not recognise - they must have been his friends. King of the Hill had become a regular sporting habit for the boys however, it was leaving plenty of them with injuries and more with scores to settle. Of course they would heal and it was all for fun but it was certainly aggressive and not something Parisa would take any care to be involved in. John became a different boy when he played; determined, focused and unrivalled. She supposed it was something he could do seen as teachers had encouraged him to give other pupils a chance at other activities; he'd already been excused from Gravball. 

The boys' feet sank in the soft sand as they battled for purchase, arms locked on shoulders, feeding all of their young muscle power to try and remain within the perimeter. John took a sly opportunity to make an elbow attack but received a blow to the face in retaliation. Luckily for him, he was perceptive and attempted to dodge the assault. The clenched fist just collided with his mouth and something hard was suddenly rolling around on his tongue along with the metallic taste of blood. The confused expression on his face must have been noticed and the group disbanded, mutually deciding that it was enough.

As Parisa stood to make her way over to John, she saw one of boys still nearby but looking extremely uncomfortable. His shoulders were lopsided and the grimace would not leave his face. Parisa made her way over to him instead of John who seemed occupied with whatever was rolling around his mouth anyway.  
"Are you okay?" she sighed, the boy looked up and simply shook his head.  
"I think it's broken," he replied disappointedly. It indeed looked that way. Blue and purple bruises littered his collarbone like a galaxy only the stars were red blood blisters. Parisa tutted, extending her arm as invitation for him to go with her. He accepted and she turned to see John spit something into his hand.  
"Ew, John what is that?!" He looked across with an equally lopsided grin.  
"Bit of tooth," he grinned.  
"Disgusting, I said you'd get hurt. I'm taking him to the nurse, he's broken a bone."  
"We're even now Bully!" the young boy called over. John smirked as he was left alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will introduce some of the darkness associated with the Spartan Program. Dr Halsey and Jacob Keyes have the opportunity to approach John and test his luck. 
> 
> Bookmark for updates, I'm a little sporadic but I don't give up!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello!
> 
> So the next time I say I'll update at a specific time/day, just ignore me because like... it never happens. Some shit always gets in the way and makes me look dumb!
> 
> Anyway, this is one of the moments we've all been waiting for, _that_ important conversation and without further ado - here it is! I watched the scenes from Halo:Fall of Reach and my partner was kind enough to send me pages from the book. I wrote the scene myself and used a few references from this material but all is original!

"Private journal entry, encrypt Halsey-424-3, delete if tampered."

_'A long time ago I committed myself to a path; a direction. There were many branches in that but ultimately they all flowered; I think. John, was the first seed. I couldn't personally screen every candidate. The outer colonies were simply too scattered, too distant. But I had to set an example for the other extraction teams. The first candidate... the first candidate I dealt with personally.'_

_'But the outer colonies were still very dangerous places in those days, albeit for radically different reasons and so the Office of Naval Intelligence assigned me a chaperone; perhaps for my safety. Perhaps for theirs.'_

/-/-/-/-/

**August 18, 2517  
Elysium City Primary Education Facility Number 119**

The Eridanus sun was almost at it's peak in the sky, it's warmth reflecting as a fiery glow that illuminated the facility in the most pleasant way. It resembled a summer dusk on Earth but it was only just turning afternoon for the city of Elysium. John had plonked himself down atop the mound of grass that himself and the other boys sometimes use for their games; he was waiting patiently for some of them to return for a rematch, idly flicking his tongue over the now sharp and broken incisor at the front of his mouth. As the moments passed by, he cast a thought to the help he would give to Parisa with her revision. He wondered which section she was struggling with and how he would be able to help. It was more gratuitous to teach rather than just give the answers and he knew she appreciated it; after all, they both had parents of a similar nature and success was always welcome. 

Parisa was intelligent and eager just as he but as well as learning in the knowledgable sense, she liked to experience things and learn practically. Writing things by hand was her preferred method of revising, she claimed that the notion of writing forced her to think about what she was putting down with pen to paper and that it produced more neuronal connections. Of course the practicality of this method in particular was questionable, paper was a commodity these days and John could see why Parisa became irritated when her pages were continuously lost due to the slight Eridanus breeze. He on the other hand, solely used his data-pad - less to carry, less to lose, less to concern himself over. 

Boisterous voices interrupted John's musings as his friends returned for the rematch. John stood, cracking his knuckles in a clenched fist, one by one, each finger clicking. His fore-finger always smarted a little but it was negligible. The boys raced up the mound to where it was bare dirt, scuffed of all the lush grass. Parisa's words from the lake echoed in his mind - 'you'll get hurt too' and he secretly hoped that she wouldn't be frustrated with him, it wouldn't hurt to have one more match whilst she was at the nurse's office.

There was grabbing and tackling that could only be described as savage this time; there were the wounded prides of young boys at stake. One of which rolled down the hill, grunting in a heap at the bottom before picking himself up, swiping the dust from his knees and bounding back up the hill. 

Unbeknownst to the scuffling lads, Doctor Halsey had already conferred with Lieutenant Keyes to confirm the identity of her first candidate. From their position, it had been rather difficult to determine the correct subject and so the doctor had used her datapad to record some short footage. It was material she could use for later referral as it resulted in her realising that the photo ONI had provided her with was exactly four months out of date. Four months at this stage of life held a lot of changes and that was obvious through both John's appearance and physicality.  
Halsey cocked her head to one side as she observed the activities, her face contorted slightly as she watched John grasp one of the boys by his shirt and toss him down the hill. She shook her head at his mannerism, something that could be manipulated through training. A page was opened on the datapad and she typed a few notes from her observations.

Keyes was busy adjusting the weight between both of his legs, still irritable over the civilian clothes however, Catherine found the normalcy of it all charming as she held her straw hat to prevent losing it to the wind which threatened to claim it for itself. She smiled inwardly, a sadness looming at the life she could have had but ultimately chose to nip in the bud. Her work was greater than moments like these and she acknowledged her call. Lieutenant Keyes was military through and through, that much was evident in the rigidness of his stance, the pair certainly didn't feel natural posing as prospective parents sending their child to this facility as they had previously arranged with the staff to gain access to the colony and grounds. 

"Is that him?" Keyes whispered.  
"King of the hill," she remarked after taking one last glance at the photograph. She memorised the freckle pattern and noted the gap in his teeth.  
"That's our boy." Two other boys had joined forces and attempted to tackle John, grabbing his arms with bruising strength but he was much more animated and successfully fought them off with a series of violent thrusts and kicks. The scurry had earned him a split lip, the taste of iron pungent on his tongue. The two offending boys had retreated to a safe distance, now spectators of the match that still raged on. At this point, curiosity got the better of Doctor Halsey and she nonchalantly handed Keyes the small datapad.  
"Stay here and watch me, Lieutenant; I'm going to take a closer look." Keyes was about to interject, he was uneasy about contact outside of the parameters but Halsey's strong-will overruled these any day, a trait in her he never challenged.

Her trot to the mound had her worrying at the hem of her floral dress and she still held onto the straw hat that curled in the wind. Considering her status and control of the entire program, her stomach suddenly flipped as she made eye contact with her candidate. The boys ceased their scuffle and time seemed to slow.  
"Can I speak with you please?" she asked with a faint smile on her delicate face. A series of gasps and smirks sounded around John as he realised that the pretty woman was talking to him in particular. His friends muttered about him being in trouble and slowly backed off, leaving John to fend for himself. He shrugged and plodded down the hill like a walk in the park, a pebble bouncing off his shoulder blade as he went but he ignored it. The remaining boys realised that the games were over and dispersed. Soon enough it was just John and Halsey. Number 117.

"What's your name?" she asked, her lips were cherry red and glistened in the sun. John liked the colour, it reminded him of his mother who had the features of a land-girl from the mid-twentieth century; they learned about it in history class.  
"John," came his reply, along with an extended arm. Halsey took note of his politeness and considered that for a child of his age, his father must have taught him good manners. A smile touched the corners of her mouth as she felt the strength in his hand. His hand was small and warm, the heat radiated into her palm. His skin was so terribly soft and young even under the stresses of a seven year old's activities. A well-bred candidate for the program. His suitability however didn't prevent the pang of guilt that pricked at her heart as she imagined his hands in years to come, worn, bloodied and calloused. 

"I wanted to ask what you were doing," she nodded toward the top of the hill, indicating what she referred to.  
"Winning," he said definitively with a proud smile. Halsey was impressed and smiled at the boy. He was confident and had no fear, although his friends were incorrect about being in trouble, John was brave. Ready to face and endure danger or pain; he showed courage. 

"You like games, so do I." John sighed with melancholy, his gaze falling to his dirty shoes.  
"I'm not allowed to play most of the games here, especially not grav-ball," now he sounded just like a mardy child, a trait that could be trained out of him she supposed.  
"I have a different game I want to try," she revealed a coin, tarnished and slightly misshapen. John's eyes were fixated on the bronzed piece, like it might disappear before his very eyes. Impulsively, his hand reached to grab the coin but Halsey's slender fingers closed tightly around it.  
"Each side has a different image cast, do you see? One has a man with long hair and the other a bird called an eagle holding-"  
"Arrows," John interrupted. Halsey took a split-second to overcome her candidate's exceptional eyesight, she was holding the coin just in front of herself and he wasn't leaning to peer closer. It irritated her slightly that he interrupted but under the training program, these children would be moulded.  
"Yes, good. We'll use this coin in the game, if you win, you get to keep it," she acknowledged the way his eyes lit up at the prospect of winning a prize. The idea of success and reward. 

"I always win," he proclaimed and oh how she could believe him but she had to test him.  
"I'm sure you do."  
"What's the game then?" he asked, not interested in the small talk she had to offer.  
"Very well, it's simple. I'm going to toss this coin," with the flick of her thumb, the coin gracefully travelled vertically with a ting as her painted nail hit it. Effortlessly, she overturned her hand and the coin landed.  
"Before the coin lands, I want you to tell me which side will face up. The man with the long hair or the eagle with the arrows."  
"I got it," John confirmed, focussed on nothing but the coin.  
Once again and just as before, Halsey flipped the coin and just as it began it's descent, John blurted his answer.  
"Eagle!" he shouted. Halsey slowly peeled back the hand that hid the coin and there it was; a sun glaring behind the spread wings of an eagle that's claws wrapped tightly around an arrow each. Probabilities flashed through her mind of how the candidate guessed correctly. Perhaps it was simply down to good luck. 

"Can I keep it now?" came the voice that broke her thoughts. Halsey giggled and handed him the coin.  
"Can we play again?" he asked enthusiastically, to which Halsey gently tapped the pockets of her dress to emphasise.  
"I'm afraid that's all I had, go back and play with your friends, I have to leave now."  
"See ya," John said as he returned up the hill to some of the boys that had made their way back once they saw that the coast was clear.  
"Goodbye, John," Halsey swallowed a lump of realisation and regret in her throat, she should not have used her candidate's name, that wasn't what they would be known as if they passed the selection process. It wasn't an appropriate time for growing bonds with subjects of the program, their success would be essential for humanity's survival, even if it was at the cost of their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, doesn't Halsey's motive just put a downer on our cheery Spartan's life?! Nevermind, we're all children deep down and this conversation hardly impacted John at all!
> 
> I won't say when I'll next update because we all know what happens. But let me know what you think or would hopefully like to see. If you're shy, just leave a Kudos and tell a friend! 
> 
> See you on the other side! x


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> Hope everyone is well and keeping safe. This chapter took a little longer and I'd originally planned it a little differently but it felt right ending it at the lake where the fic also began *shrugs*
> 
> I've also continued with my Mass Effect fic, uploaded Chapter 21 which has been highly anticipated and I'm desperate to get a one-shot for Destiny with our beloved Saint 14 ❤️
> 
> Anyway! I hope you still enjoy this chapter, it's a little bit of calm after the meeting between John and Halsey.

The morning had lazily rolled into afternoon and the boys had decided that sitting in the cool grass was a much better option than sweating and getting covered in dirt. It was a comfortable quiet, each enjoying the heat whilst John mindlessly flicked his new vintage coin along his bloodied knuckles.  
"John!" The raised voice immediately snapped him to his senses, the coin secured in his fist as he looked up to see Parisa waving him over. A smile touched the corners of his split lips and he dusted himself up and somewhat straightened his shirt which had managed to ride up to his waist.  
"You off with your girlfriend now?" one of the boys behind him quipped with a proud snigger. Whilst it was only banter, just like John's nickname, he did thoroughly enjoy winding people up. He turned with an equally smug grin.  
"Jealous?" he retorted as he ran down the mound to join Parisa.

Upon close inspection Parisa saw the extent of John's playing, giving him a tut of disapproval.  
"I told you you'd get hurt," she chastised, John rolled his eyes and cheekily flashed his chipped tooth in return.  
"I know." The pair fell silent for a short moment before John innocently changed the subject.  
"I'll help you with that revision if you like? We can go to my house," he suggested. His idea pleased Parisa as she'd been inwardly nervous about not understanding the topic and the thought of coming across such a question in an exam daunted her. She could picture it, turning the page to reveal the question and having to read it over and over again; watching the minutes tick wastefully by. She smiled and nodded enthusiastically as John offered his grubby hand for her to hold as they walked out of the complex and toward the town. His features screwed up minutely as he swallowed the tenderness of his grazed knuckles; perhaps he'd listen to her next time. Parisa decided that she would help him clean up once they got back, so she took his hand and he swung them back and forth, eliciting a giggle from the young girl.

/-/-/-/-/

The door hissed open as the pair arrived at John's and after placing their bags at the foot of the sofa, Parisa pulled out her datapad to type a short alert to let her parents know of her whereabouts. Both parents were generally relaxed and that was down to Eridanus II being in the top ten percent for exceptional safety and low crime rates. Still, Parisa understood that it was important to stay safe regardless and she sent regular updates so somebody was always aware of her whereabouts and it was appreciated.

John's footsteps could be heard coming back down the stairs, he'd taken the time whilst Parisa was pre-occupied to get changed but that hadn't included having a wash to relieve his face and hands of the crusting blood.  
"Do you want a anything?" he offered as he practically climbed into the fridge in search of nourishment. Parisa looked up as she zipped her bag back up and sat it squarely against the sofa again.  
"Uhm, something sweet?" she queried. A few items and pieces of crockery clattered before John picked out a packet. He studied it for a moment with a glum expression. Parisa stretched her back to try for a better view.  
"What is it?" she asked. John shrugged and trudged across the room to hand her the pack in the hope that she would enlighten him.  
"Rose flavoured jelly cubes," she said after a moment. John nodded as if he knew exactly what they were but paused afterwards.  
"And what are they?"  
"My favourite," Parisa grinned.

As Parisa neatly split the packet open to release the sweet and sugary aroma, John cleared a space on the living-room table for them to look through the revision. He unlocked his datapad and found the relevant document, scrolling through to the most recent section. He gestured to Parisa's backpack for permission to get her books, which she granted as she continued to happily munch on the floral cubes that made her mouth water too much. It was when she noticed her friend wince that she set the pack aside and insisted on cleaning him up.  
"John, you need plasters."  
"It'll heal," he shrugged.  
"That's not what you told me at the lake when I hurt my arm," she countered. He paused, she'd got him with that one. He tilted his head to one side.  
"I'll clean you up and you can tell me what I don't understand, deal?" John considered this for a glimpse of a moment.  
"Deal."

With plasters, cotton wool and medi-gel, Parisa was ready but before John could even begin assisting with her revision, she needed to tend to his split lip which looked incredibly sore.  
She wet a clump of cotton wool in a bowl of warm water which she had also fetched and pressed it tightly to the cut. John's lip curled in the corner but he tried to hide the discomfort. Once the blood was moist, Parisa was able to clean it away and she popped open a tin of menthol lip-balm. John kept his lips in a thin line for fear her finger would breach into his mouth covered in lip-balm. She wiped her finger on her lap to rid of the excess and pressed a quick kiss to his soft lips.  
"What was that for?" he asked, mouth now fully agape.  
"It tastes nice," Parisa smiled. What she didn't mention was that it was an entirely alien impulse that manifested from nowhere and her body gave her no time to consider or even understand the urge.  
"You just wanted to kiss me," John teased with a silly grin, his chipped tooth on show.  
"I did not!" Parisa spat.  
"It was nice," he said with a calmness in his tone. They both giggled after Parisa turned an unmistakable peachy tint. 

As she discarded the first ball of cotton wool, she wet the next and set to work on cleaning his bloodied knuckles. There was so much torn skin and some of it had become dirty, it needed removing. John found a pair of tweezers from the bathroom and returned to his seat beside Parisa, offering her his right hand whilst his left adeptly swiped on the datapad to find the section he needed. 

"Cloning... which bit didn't you get?" He asked without looking up. Parisa didn't answer straight away, instead she was focused on a little piece of skin that had dried up in the blood.  
"Well, I thought cloning was always artificial," she said. John shook his head and began to read from his work.  
"Cloning happens in nature. Tiny living things, such as bacteria and yeasts, reproduce by creating exact copies of themselves." John looked up to gage Parisa's reaction.  
"So the cells clone themselves... therefore the population multiplies?"  
"Yeah exactly," John was content that he had succeeded so far and thus continued to read through his work as Parisa picked at the flakes of skin and dabbed his knuckles with cotton wool.

"Reproductive and therapeutic cloning?" he asked.  
"I don't understand the difference, is it the cell they use to clone that's different?" Parisa let go of John's now clean hand and reached to grab his other which he was using to scroll on the datapad.  
"So reproductive cloning is the creation of offspring that are identical to an original animal." He glanced back at his friend who nodded.  
"Is it just animals that have been cloned?" she questioned; John quickly scrolled down the page before halting it with his index finger.  
"No, some scientists do attempt to experiment with cloning human beings. Their work has been limited for centuries, however, due to the continued belief that human cloning is wrong. In 2005 what was called the United Nations, passed a declaration against human cloning."

A silence fell on the pair, a comfortable one and Parisa took the opportunity to grab a circular plaster, carefully tearing the pack open and removing the backing. With surgical precision, she stuck it down on a particularly deep nick on the back of John's hand. He flexed his fingers and hummed in satisfaction.  
"Thank you," he said quietly.  
"You're welcome." Parisa grabbed the cotton wool in her hands and quickly jogged to the kitchen bin before any escaped. They hit the bottom with a gentle patter.

"And the other kind?" she pressed as she walked back to the sofa. John had seemingly zoned out and after seeing Parisa's awaiting expression, he sharply shook his head and referred back to the datapad.  
"Therapeutic cloning is the use of cloning to treat human diseases and disorders. So healthy human cells are cloned to replace damaged cells." John closed the document and locked the screen, looking to Parisa.  
"Is that okay?" he asked; she nodded with a smile.  
"Yes, thank you." 

"Do you want to go down to the lake before the sun goes down?" John suggested as he rummaged through a laundry basket for his trunks.  
"Are you going in the water?" Parisa blurted; John could see her pupils widen and he realised the impact of the accident.  
"You can grab your costume and we can sit on the edge if you'd prefer?" Parisa definitely preferred the sound of that. She enjoyed the time they spent when both their fathers went down to the lake. They didn't go in the water then either.  
"Did I leave a costume here?" John held his arm up to present the item in question which she took and disappeared upstairs to change into.

"Ready?" she shouted down not a few minutes later.  
"Ready!" John answered in kind and they both left the house to make their way down to the lake while the late afternoon was still hot. The door locked behind them and they jogged barefoot over the soft woodland toward the lake.

/-/-/-/-/

As they reached the bank, Parisa slowed to a saunter but John continued to run ahead and clambered carefully over the rocks that dominated one side of the lake. He held both his arms out for balance and an uneasiness settled inside Parisa's gut. It tickled heavily and made her feel off balance at the same time.

"Are you coming?" John called over as he noticed Parisa grounded to the spot. He jumped into the water and disappeared beneath the surface for a split second before bobbing back up and plodding up the beach with hand out for his friend to take.  
"I'll hold you while you climb over," he offered. Parisa threw him a hard stare which he matched forcing her to back down. She sighed in defeat and took his wet hand, climbing over the rocks to find a suitable spot to sit. 

The surface of the rocks were pleasantly warm and tiny pieces of dust stuck to the bottoms of Parisa's feet. She found a suitable spot, sitting down with John still holding her hand tight. Her feet broke the surface tension of the water and the cooler temperature ate at her. 

"Are you okay?" John suddenly asked having noticed Parisa's silence. She looked up from her dangling feet.  
"Yeah, I'm fine." John didn't believe her and slid from the rock shelf into the water.  
"Come on," he said with the cock of his head.  
"What?"  
"Come in the water with me."  
"N-no," Parisa stuttered. John had taken her off guard and suddenly faced with the very thing that almost caused her death, made her realise how much it was haunting her inside.  
"You can hold onto me. What happened was an accident. You know it won't happen again right?" John tried to reason.  
"How do you know?" Parisa spat back.  
"I promise." 

Those two words were something symbolic to the pair. If John said he promised, he promised and Parisa feared he would be offended if she didn't believe him this time. She dipped her right leg in first, climbing in awkwardly but making sure to cling to the rocks.  
"And the other leg," John encouraged, watching from just a few feet away. Her left leg joined the other and she slowly lowered herself in, the familiar cold wrapping her up like she was freezing from the toes upward. As she cautiously released her grip, two hands found their way to her waist.  
"Here, I got you," he cooed, helping her ease in. He was careful not to accidentally kick her now that they were so close but she instinctively held onto his shoulders and focused on him as he guided them toward the centre of the lake.

"How's that?" he asked with a smile, his chipped tooth oh so noticeable. Parisa nodded, she still felt strange inside and her brain whirred with thoughts. It wasn't so much fear after what happened, it was more to do with the fact that she had met the ugly side of this place; this place that had always been safe and fun. It had tried to pull her into the depths where time was slow and nothing was to be seen.

"I got you," John whispered, a gentle reminder that she wasn't alone when she was with him. The only sound that could be heard was the gentle lapping of the water along the beach.  
"It won't hurt you again, I promise."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Such a caring soul but I wanted to highlight that sometimes you find ugliness and pain in what should be sanctuaries of our lives.
> 
> And hands up if you love Turkish Delight?! Also my favourite sweet ❤️
> 
> Join me next chapter for some chess, John tells Parisa about Halsey and I'm sure I'll think of something else 😜 
> 
> If you enjoyed the read so far and haven't already, hit the Kudos and I'd be so grateful for any comments, let me know what you think!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> I hope you're all well and safe. The weather here had been so terribly hot I couldn't even be bothered to sprint in-game!
> 
> Ugh but this is just a short chapter and I hope you enjoy it. Thankfully there's a little conversation between our sweeties to make the game of chess less boring!

**August 19, 2517**

The rain pattered heavily on the windows and alloy roof as John and Parisa sat on her bedroom floor. The dark turn in weather was due to the atmospheric pressure of late but usually it didn't last long. Rainfall on Eridanus was always accompanied by thunder and lightning of a broad spectrum of colour thanks to the unique magnetic field of the planet. John was fond of Parisa's bedroom, it lacked the utilitarian feel of his own as she had become a fan of 'injecting personality' as her parents would say. Soft throws were draped about the medium-sized space and pops of colour kept the eyes entertained for plenty of time.

"John, help me set up," Parisa snapped, pulling him out of his wandering.  
"Ugh, do I have to?" he moaned in jest, already reaching for the pieces. Of course he was only teasing, he always lost so where's the harm in having fun?   
"Jo-oohn!" she moaned as she watched him place all of his pieces purposely in the wrong places. He giggled heartily and pinched his tongue between his chipped tooth as he placed the pawns along the front row, taking extra care to keep the knights facing forward.   
"Do you wanna go first?" Parisa asked; John didn't care much but decided to make it more interesting because neither of them could ever decide.  
"Let's flip for it," he suggested, pulling the vintage coin from his pocket. It reminded him of how strange the lady was that talked to him but she was pretty and let him keep the coin.  
"Heads or tails?" Parisa answered proudly with a phrase.  
"Tails never fails." John flicked his thumb and the coin spun, quickly landing in his opposite hand. He opened his fist to reveal the eagle.  
"You win," he huffed. Why did he never win when chess was concerned? 

Parisa adjusted the board with the white set facing her, she took a pawn and moved it forward one space. John really didn't have the enthusiasm for the board-game and took a bishop, lazily dropping it in a diagonal.  
"John, bishops don't jump pieces," Parisa glared. John responded with a glare of his own, returning the piece to it's starting point and settling to move a pawn one space forward.  
"Where'd you get the coin?" Parisa asked as she worked to arrange her pawns into a barricade, protecting her royals but freeing the way for the rooks.  
"A lady gave it to me while you were away." Parisa looked up.  
"When I was at the nurse's office?"  
"Yeah, she shouted over to me." Whilst Parisa was distracted, John sneakily switched one of her pieces so his knight could take it on his next move. Luckily, she didn't notice and he smiled rather conceitedly.

"What did she want?" He briefly thought back to that afternoon; the encounter didn't appear significant and the lady posed no threat. Afterall, his gang of friends thought he was in trouble but on the contrary.  
"She just said that she liked games as well and had this game she wanted to play with me." Parisa slid a bishop diagonally three spaces as she anticipated the final placements of John's knight should he choose to wield it.   
"She said if I guessed correctly which side of the coin landed, I could keep it." John set his plan in motion and dramatically tapped his knight piece and took Parisa's pawn. He placed the piece on his small pile of victories as Parisa immediately took her carefully placed bishop to steal the offending knight. John huffed and threw his head back; his defence now severely lacking.

"There was a man as well, it looked like he was waiting for the lady," John remembered. It was the only detail that he really took notice of.  
"He didn't look too happy, perhaps she wasn't supposed to talk to me." Parisa paused and stared at her friend as her brow furrowed slightly. John thought she looked kinda cute when she was angry; her face was too gentle for the harsh lines of annoyance.  
"Well what was he doing?" she pressed.  
"I saw him when the lady shouted to me; he was just walking back and forth. I think his pants were too tight."  
"Then what?" John couldn't understand why Parisa was so enamoured with what happened, he assumed she might have been jealous that he won the coin. 

In all of her distraction, he found that he was able to focus on the board which sat rather devoid of his pieces. Proudly stood approximately a third of the way in was Parisa's queen piece which she had successfully defended by sacrificing her pawns and using the pieces of greater hierarchy to wipe out the assault. John was adaptable in most cases and eager to develop. When Parisa first introduced him to chess, she taught him the fundamental of the game. A quote which he recently deemed quite significant since the accident at the lake. He made a promise he intended to keep.   
'Every man needs a woman when his life is in a mess, because the queen protects the king just like a game of chess.'

John snapped out of his musings, remembering that Parisa had asked a question.   
"He erm, he had a data-pad but he was holding it up like when you take a picture," John lifted his arms to demonstrate.  
"Did he take a picture then?"  
"He had it up the whole time the lady talked to me."  
"Was he filming?" John paused to consider but couldn't find a reasonable explanation. He shrugged nonchalantly.  
"Why would someone film though?"  
"I dunno, you won anyway," Parisa smiled. Pulling the coin back from his pocket, John twiddled it over his plastered knuckles. He was lucky and luck had been on his side for the game. He held his hand out.  
"Here," he said, taking Parisa's hand and dropping the coin into her palm.   
"Keep it, it'll bring you luck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So little John wants to protect his queen and who knows when her time to protect him will come!
> 
> Let me know in the comments what you all think so far and I am open to suggestions on the future of this fic! Leave them in the suggestion box!
> 
> See you in the next chapter and thanks for reading x


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I had to do so much research to make sure I got this right! And _then_ I spent days going over it and I just feel that if I don't post it now, I never will!
> 
> So without further ado, I give you _the_ conversation between Halsey and ONI and of course a little shenanigans between John and Parisa because come on guys, I couldn't end on a downer! 
> 
> These two are too sweet and I don't want to let them go yet! 😢

**Sometime During 2515**

_'Orion II would not have succeeded if built on a foundation of compromise. ONI would have its soldiers it would have my solution'_

The air was thick with tension and slightly heated due to the servers and data-screens processing simulations and comms in the background. The strip lights dimmed abruptly as everyone was seated in the rather utilitarian folded chairs. Halsey idly worried the hem of her white lab jacket as they prepared for the meeting that would determine whether her solution had been accepted. It had been a substantial gamble putting forward her solution; it was anything but clean and after all of the effort and focus she had applied, even under the pressures of her academic and professional career, it would be a dire waste if she failed now. The sound of frayed rubber dragging across grated metal tore her from her concerns as the elected speaker for the meeting threw himself into the chair and began opening files on the data-pad. He sighed aloud and checked the time according to the digital watch strapped to his wrist.  
_'How unprofessional,'_ Halsey thought to herself. 

"If I could draw your attention to clause 1A/3a: A human being shall be defined as a person recognised and accepted by a reasonable layperson as being human on the basis of form, behavior, or external appearance, and _no_ authority shall be permitted to use _any_ element of a genetic profile to exclude a person from that definition." A pregnant pause fell over the attendees, whilst a few awkward glances were shared, it was obvious that they had taken this approach, none of it could go unmentioned. The speaker cleared his throat and returned his stern gaze to the data-pad clutched in his hand. Lieutenant Keyes also let his eyes drift across the dim room that was only partially illuminated; it darkened everybody's features and hid their expressions whether they be of agreement or disgust. The pressure in his chest just served to amplify the enormity of their audience and this was not something Keyes expected from his position. Right now he was supposed to be escorting merchant ships through the outer colonies that were plagued by Rebellion forces. 

"1A/3g: A human being or part of thereof may _not_ be owned by _any_ individual _or_ organisation." Halsey adjusted herself as a knot of discomfort lodged itself within her stomach; she risked a shy glance to Keyes, him offering a thin smile and curt nod in reassurance. It eased her soul only a little to have his support but that alone wouldn't be enough. The solution she had proposed in her report was simply put illegal, immoral; and more importantly, it undermined every law that the Mortal Dictata held. The legal model itself, served to protect humanity but the work she was committing her life to was also to protect humanity, surely ONI would recognise that and consider the past failings of ORION. Halsey's solution was a regrettable but necessary deception, one that she was certain would be worthwhile.

"1A/3h: A human being shall _not_ be cloned." The speaker raised his voice for this particular clause, a definitive statement, a point to undoubtedly highlight. Katherine felt small amongst these men, like a little girl under the discipline of her parents. She sighed under her breath, expelling all of the hope that had been held within her tired, overworked body. Of course Jacob had been so caring toward her but her studies didn't allow time for fraternisation as much as she yearned for it. 

"1A/3f: _No_ human being shall be subjected to genetic alteration except with their express and informed consent, or, in the case of a person under the age of 18, with the consent of their legal guardian for the sole purpose of correcting a health defect in that child." The speaker sat back in his seat letting the pad fall from his hand, clattering against the surface of the table. Over the silence, it was almost deafening and Katherine was extremely aware of the tone within the room. 

"Doctor Halsey, what your solution suggests is that we break the most fundamental codes of legislation in the Mortal Dictata which was established by the United Nations to protect basic human rights. You are essentially proposing that we develop flash-clones of your chosen candidates before kidnapping said candidates and forcing them into a life of warfare from the- dare I say it, _delicate_ age of seven years old. Do you have any comments toward that?" the speaker asked lowly with an accusatory undertone. Halsey fixed him with hard stare.  
_'Does he assume I took the decision lightly without thought to repercussions?_ Halsey placed her elbows on the aluminium table, interlocking her fingers as she smirked in disbelief at the thought.  
"If ONI wants its soldiers, it _will_ have my solution."  
The attendees nodded in unison, having found a basic grasp of the concept. Doctor Graham Alban was the exception; a well respected neuroscientist and psychologist who worked within ONI's Special Projects division. He had been in contact with Katherine soon after her solution was submitted with various messages and holo-calls. It was extremely clear that he opposed anything that compromised a human's classification as that exactly. Although he was gentlemanly and matter-of-fact about his opinions, Halsey could feel the weight of his disappointment and it made her shoulders ache even more. 

"Doctor, would you care to explain to us about this new technology you have developed? It's mentioned within your solution, we share a great deal of interest in it's non-intrusive properties." Doctor Alban gently pressed the meeting forward to matters of neuroscience, that being his forte. He had soft features, like a grand-father and he didn't take the same sharp tone as his colleagues. Halsey cleared her throat.  
"The technique proposed in my solution has been developed and perfected. It allows a living person's memories to be transferred to a flash clone's brain, thus creating a clone that is virtually identical to the host." Alban nodded thoughtfully before continuing.  
"And how exactly is this process completed?" He flicked through the document until he reached the appropriate statement to compare.  
"The process uses what is called a Fast Fourier Transform X-Ray 3D Scan and it maps the ionic density patterns in the host's brain. It sounds complicated but the device is completely portable, something that an operative could discretely run, I believe there is a diagram and accompanying charts. The data collected can then be used to create a virtual map of sorts, showing every individual link in the brain's neuron pattern." Halsey spoke with the confidence that she believed had left the minute she walked through the door but the more she spoke, the more she realised, her solution and her technology could work if she could only convince ONI to fund it. 

"Am I right to presume that the data would be used in a deep stimulating scan of the flash-clone's blank brain?" This time the question came from the Commander, it surprised Katherine that a man of military standing would understand but it impressed her all the same. She felt as though their understanding represented acceptance.  
"It would accurately replicate the memories of the host but unfortunately, my team and I calculated that this memory replication results in an eighty-two percent rate of dementia, schizophrenia, and possible cancers in the recipient brain. We determined that the average age of a lab developed flash-clone is fourteen point seven weeks, maybe longer if there is access to exceptional medical care but taking into consideration the ailments from the development process, it is highly likely to be even less." A firm weight settled in the pit of Katherine's stomach as she risked another one of many thoughts to the tangible repercussions of the solution. Children's lives drastically changed for the greater good of humanity, families in despair of grief. 

"What is your plan post-extraction? I understand you have been developing an assault armour that will prove valuable to the UNSC, is this connected in any way?" The Commander had opened an attached file detailing the system he was referring to.  
"That is correct. It is next in line for the Spartan program. I have been developing the MJOLNIR assault armour system since appointed as Chief Scientist for ONI. Upon extraction of the one-hundred and fifty preliminary candidates, I will initiate the SPARTAN-II Program. You have my solution, you will get your soldiers." 

There was a long pause as the Commander surveyed the report and weighed up all of the information Halsey provided. He was certain of her confidence and skill and had witnessed her latest studies into Artificial Intelligence Constructs. Her tenacity regarding the subject could be perceived as unnerving but the fate of humanity was beginning to rest solely in their palms. They needed soldiers and the UNSC couldn't keep up with the deaths. The number of casualties from the Rebellion were starting to impact the war. He regarded the doctor and sighed, humming lowly in thought.  
"We will provide funding for seventy-five of the candidates, your work begins immediately under ONI regulation. Is that understood?" Halsey's eyes widened and her lips fell into a hard line.  
"I understand," she replied firmly, leaning forward to reach for the data-pad the Commander prepared for her to sign. She gave the stylus a firm tug and it's magnetic lock was broken. She pressed a little too firmly into the plasma of the screen as she wrote her signature, a myriad of colour dispersing through the screen.  
She inhaled a deep breath of condensed air, considering the future; this was a turning point for humanity.

/-/-/-/-/

**August 26th, 2517  
Lake Gusev,  
Eridanus**

The embers of campfire crackled in the night and dissipated as they flitted about the cool breeze, ending their journey on the dry sandbank of the lake where they crumbled to dust. Parisa settled beside John as he lay in the softer grass with his head resting on both his hands. He turned to look at her with a faint smile that she wouldn't be able to see in the dim glow of the fire.  
"You okay?" he checked; this was their first campout since he had pulled her from the lake and he couldn't help but worry over her, he knew she didn't like the water any more. She looked over to him and hummed, shifting herself into a more comfortable position. Any cloud cover from earlier in the day had passed, leaving the pair with an uninterrupted view of the sky which would have been as black as the lake had the stars not been shining as they were. Parisa watched as they twinkled, each star vying for her attentions but all as beautiful as each other. She sighed in contentment. 

"Do you ever wonder what's up there?" John randomly asked, his gaze never leaving the blanket of stars above them. Parisa's brow furrowed but only slightly.  
'Like what?' she asked back. John hummed thoughtfully, scooting across the flattened grass to be closer to his friend.  
'Maybe someone up there is wondering what it's like up here," he offered, pointing to the polka-dot void.  
"I guess; do you think we'll ever meet them?"  
"I hope so. Don't you?" Parisa didn't answer, the uncertainty pulled her lips tightly shut. 

For a while longer they remained stargazing, watching as they pulsed brightly, the occasional light merchant craft drifting over with a low hum. The thruster engines burned a bright cyan and orange. John sat up first as he heard the telltale sign of Parisa yawning, he noticed that she always tried to stifle them but he could tell. He crawled awkwardly on all fours to the tent and unzipped the flap, pulling it back for Parisa as she quietly padded over. John had made sure to bring as many throws and duvets as possible and had even asked his father to borrow a couple of thermal gel-pads. He snapped the chips inside each pad and tucked them within the bundle, letting the heat spread evenly.  
Parisa had sat herself at the edge of the tent, watching as John prepped the space; she was suitably impressed that he had used his initiative, it made a change to the braun he usually favoured at school. The corner of the duvet was drawn back and he invited her in, reaching for his duffle-bag to reveal a pack which he handed to Parisa.  
"What's this?" she studied the pack but quickly realised it was something John had prepared himself.  
_'A little mystery,'_ she smiled to herself.  
"Your favourite," he grinned as she opened the pack and greedily took one of the jelly cubes. She managed a thank you in between the laboured chews and breathed a chuckle through her nose as she found his chipped tooth too hard to ignore.  
"Do I get a kiss?" he asked boldly. Parisa's eyes widened with embarrassment and she quickly swallowed what was left in her mouth. John huffed and lay back, tucking an arm behind his head as he stared at the roof of the tent in silence, accepting his minor rejection.  
After somewhat recovering, Parisa settled in the makeshift bed but not before leaning over to place a small kiss on John's cheek. He was quick to dim the light and turn onto his side, she wouldn't see the blush of pink that way.  
"Thank you John," she whispered

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Halsey did it, she got her job working with ONI but that means what I think it means... John is going to have to go 😟
> 
> I hope this chapter read okay, it was a much different tone to the others but I'd love to hear your comments! Leave a Kudos if you made it this far and I will see you next chapter.
> 
> NGL, even I don't know what's coming yet!
> 
> I'm also on Twitter if you wanna chat or throw some suggestions  
> Twitter: neon_kittie


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, okay, firstly I'm so sorry if any of you came to check out this chapter and found that it was gone. I had a horrible moment after posting and just couldn't leave it - the whole thang needed improvements and those improvements were helped along by the beautiful Ladywolvesbane so shout out 😘
> 
> Also, my poor sleeping pattern has knocked me out the past few nights so only finally posting this now! This chapter features Halsey going over a memory which is in italics just for ya'lls information!
> 
> I hope you enjoy more than you would have done and I'll see you on the other side 🙂✌🏻

**October 23rd 2516,  
Reach Military Complex,  
Epsilon Eridani System**

"This cannot be programmed to a normal cell growth rate, we simply don't have the time available." Halsey's eyes fixed onto the screen, scanning furiously as the DNA sample was analysed. She leaned back, the anthropomorphic chair creaking under her slight weight as she considered the genetic bases that were currently being decoded.  
"We cannot avoid the consequences of this project, there is no other solution. The subjects will die from a cascade of metabolic failures that are subsequent to the accelerated cell growth." The data paused, a notification manifesting on screen; Halsey swiped it away without a second thought and the decoding continued undisturbed.  
"Doctor Halsey," the soft accented voice was soothing to Katherine's ears and she looked up to the Asian physicist with a dwindling smile.  
"What we are doing is for the greater good of humanity. It is, as you said, a _necessary_ deception and even if we did have the time scale needed, prolonging the life of a clone would be immoral on the families of these candidates." Halsey glanced to the floor before returning her tired gaze to the young female before her.  
"Thank you Doctor Choi," she smiled. With that said, Halsey activated the low-gravity chamber, positioning the organs inside the bioreactor to incubate. She entered the specific code to mimic the conditions of the human body.  
"Which stem samples are currently incubating Doctor Halsey?" Choi held the data-pad in her arm, it rested against her abdomen as she inputted the data for their schedule.  
"117," came the stoic reply.

The therapeutic hum of the low gravity chamber was broken by a young officer entering the lab, his footsteps loud in the clinical space. He strode over to where Halsey was seated, greeting her with a swift salute. The poor man looked fresh out of recruitment and Katherine fought hard to hide the lopsided smile on her face.  
"Ma'am, you have an urgent call from Rear Admiral Parangosky." Katherine sighed and rubbed lightly at her temple before flicking a stray lock of hair out of the way.  
"Of course," she replied and set the data-pad aside to make her way confidently to the Comms room.  
She pulled a chair over to the display, the wheels catching on the floor as she dragged it over. She sat down, taking the time to straighten out her skirt before accepting the call. She had always found Margaret's tone to be extremely cold and abrasive, not that it bothered her, they were professionals of course but the woman never had a kind word to say about her work. And so the feeling of dread settled in her empty stomach.

The display activated upon facial recognition and on the screen appeared the image of the Rear Admiral, her blonde hair pulled back into a low bun which sat at the top of her thin neck. Her lips were a hard line and her dark, calculating eyes just screamed the antipathy she held towards Halsey.  
"Doctor Halsey, before I continue this call, I want to read something to you and I want you to listen." Parangosky's voice was low, stern; it commanded attention and Halsey gave it, knowing that if she didn't, her work would likely suffer.  
"I have taken my own life because the SPARTAN-II program is a crime against humanity and I should have had the moral courage to refuse to work on it. I did not. I complied."  
Halsey was taken aback more than anything and she struggled to imagine who would take such drastic action to illustrate a point at this stage of the project.  
"Do you know what this is Doctor Halsey?" The woman continued without pause.  
"This was the suicide note left by my good friend, Doctor Graham Alban and were it not for his unfortunate suicide, _I_ never would have discovered that you were using ONI funding to develop flash clones." Halsey's mouth dried up but she didn't let that worry her, Alban had let her know of his opinions prior to the proposal meeting but still, he seemed to engage well and during the development of the flash-clones, Doctor Alban had continued his work with AI constructs.  
"I have to say Doctor Halsey, I agree. Your methods of procurement are not only unethical but also _illegal_. Kidnapping the candidates, yeah, we can arrange that but replacing them with flash clones just to ease your conscience? Do you understand the shit show this will cause when all of the declassified information becomes available to the public?" Parangosky took a moment to catch her breath, shaking her head in bewilderment at Halsey's silence. She looked at her expectantly, wanting to hear how her methods were justified.  
"It is a necessary deception and once humanity sees the good that my Spartans will bring, then they will offer their trust in the future of the program."

/-/-/-/-/

Almost a year of development, splicing and grafting, Doctor Choi began to input the final bank of data into the schedule file before sending it for final approval by ONI. She tapped the touchscreen, careful not to catch the plasma which flexed beneath her filed nails. Accessing the candidate page revealed the vital statistics and data for each individual subject.  
"Confirming, two weeks for cell line proliferation, converting tissue biopsy into substantial cell line. Additional day cycle for embryo construction and activation. Twelve months of organ development, constant monitoring for transplant rejection-"  
"Any rejections?" Halsey interrupted, of course she was already fully aware of the answer to that question but to hear it, to receive that validation that her solution was so far successful, she could easily describe it as the pinnacle of her career.  
"None Doctor Halsey," Choi answered firmly. Katherine nodded and returned to her own task, scrolling through the names of her candidates. Her slender fingers hovered over one, wavering slightly; candidate zero-six-six. Oh this candidate had been outstanding, different by far. Katherine's interactions with this child had been the most successful, proof that her solution could be accepted by the subjects themselves. Her smile waned as she remembered the disapproval in Jacob's voice just a few weeks ago after her visit to Dwarka, an outer colony.  
 _'That's an awful lot to lay on a child, even one who's grown up so fast,'_ he'd said with a disconcerting frown.

_'I'm a scientist," Katherine had explained to the candidate, his eyes still bloodshot and hands periodically clenching in the presence of the pretty stranger. Halsey smiled sweetly as the interaction continued.  
"Not a- Not a psy-"  
"No, I'm not a psychiatrist. You've been seeing a lot of psychiatrists, haven't you? Because of your parents' deaths?" Halsey easily sensed the undertone of anxiety that ran in Soren's voice but beneath the fear she knew was a survivor. A fighter. She'd read his dossier, he was perfect. A boy just turned six, forced to bear the burden of burying his own mother after murdering his step-father and surviving on nothing but the fruits and wildlife of the surrounding woods for the preceding weeks. Soren was perfect for the program and Halsey continued to smile sweetly.  
"I'm trying to decide if you're right for something I'm working on. An experiment. I can't tell you what it is I'm afraid. But if it works in the way we hope it will, you'll be stronger, faster and smarter than you could ever imagine." How Katherine had painted the picture in such vivid detail, an opportunity so golden that even a child could not refuse. What Soren wasn't aware of, was the method used to procure the remaining candidates.  
"Why would you want to do something like that for me? You don't even know me." There it was, the doubt, hesitation and fear; all of which would be eradicated through the program's intense training manifest. Halsey's tone softened when she answered, acknowledging the selfishness of her work.  
"It's not for _you_ exactly. I can't tell you much more. It won't be easy, it'll be the hardest thing you've ever done; even harder than what happened with your parents." Soren's eyes immediately fixed on her's, she could have likened it to searching her soul, wanting to know how much she knew; wanting to know _everything_ she knew.  
"And what have you decided?" With a deep breath, Halsey took the gamble as she had when calling John by his name.  
"I've decided to let you be the one to decide."_

Offering candidate zero-six-six the choice of whether to join the program or not had been an unpredicted risk but one of fruition. Soren had willingly accepted the proposal and the necessary paperwork for his transfer was taken care of. Naturally, Katherine was ecstatic at the thought that a candidate understood the enormity of the project and accepted but Jacob, sadly did not express the same elation. He firmly suggested that she not give the candidates choice when ONI planned to simply strip them of it.

**0200 hours,  
September 10th 2517,  
Elysium City, Eridanus II**

The unmarked pelican had entered the planet's atmosphere with no clearance issues as Parangosky had assured. The pilot brought the bird to a cruising speed as they headed toward the city of Elysium, the flight now steady without the rumblings of turbulence. The two ONI agents who had been selected for the mission were currently suiting up in the loading bay, their data-watches synced and other pieces of equipment gathered from the holdalls. The commanding officer was more efficient at prepping and waited patiently for his partner to finish.  
"Miles, listen up," he called out.  
"Parangosky's instructions are clear. We're to infiltrate the marked location and proceed with the extraction of subject one-one-seven, a 6 year old male by the name of John, resides with his two parents, mother and father. The subject will be replaced with the flash clone which is currently in temporary cryo-stasis for transport. Straight in, straight out, is that clear?"  
"Yes Sir." Jacob tightened the straps of his under-armour, casting a glance across to his commander as he shifted his feet along the grated metal. Colonel James Ackerson - a man who took a backseat interest in the Spartan-II program. Miles figured that was his reason for volunteering to participate in the extractions.  
_'No skin off my nose,'_ he thought to himself.  
"I heard Parangosky was pissed when she found out Halsey's plan to replace the kids with clones." Ackerson nodded.  
"Indeed she was. Perhaps next time they'll find a more ethical way to source candidates," he replied thoughtfully. Ackerson had made a mental note of Parangosky's reaction; he too was aware of the breaches to the Mortal Dictata made within this program and he actively sought means of improvement since its activation regardless of his unwavering support for the project. His involvement in the program had been purely to collate information and results to develop the SPARTAN-III project. With Parangosky's clearance, the next phase under his lead would be even better _and_ ethical.  
"LZ looks clear, you ready Miles?"  
"Ready Sir," Miles stood to attention but he could feel the blood forcefully pumping around his body, threatening to send him off balance. It made his head heavy and hands sweat.  
"Semper vigilans," Ackerson muttered as they approached the LZ, the pelican's thrusters dampened as they lowered to the ground.

It was a balmy evening, the air close with humidity and thick clouds dotted across the black sky, the occasional drop of rain falling but not enough to cool the air. Parisa was tucked up in her bed but still somewhat awake; she'd opted to wear shorts thanks to the humidity and earlier on switched her duvet for a thin white sheet to help stay cool. As she stared blankly at the closed curtains, flickers of colour that were barely visible caught her attention. A quick glance at the time brought a quizzical expression to her face as she took a moment to think what ships were scheduled at such an hour. She kicked the sheet off of herself and quietly stepped over to the window, drawing back the curtain by only a slither, as if she were not supposed to look. The distant view was rather obscured by the residential lighting but with concentration, she spotted a glimmer of light and from whence it came. A pelican but not one with a recognisable livery, this one was blank. Parisa yawned, her jaw clicking under the strain and looked along her street one last time before retiring back to her bed. 

A street away, John's window was slightly open, the draft sliding through the slit and into his messy room. It was a full moon and the light was intense as it shone through the open curtains to light the spot where he lay deep in his slumber. Occasionally, the magnetic field would react under the pressure and colours would dance across the sky, lighting up the clouds. John lay atop too many plump pillows that bunched his cheek up slightly, a hand rested beside his face and held within it a black queen. He'd invited Parisa over after they'd spent the day ordering new educational material ready for their next term at the Educational Facility. Parisa had been so distracted talking about the new data-pad she'd ordered and John thought it a funny prank to play and in the morn, he was sure he'd hear her annoyance. Well, she had poked a little fun at him for his chipped tooth, some payback was in order, or at least that was the original plan. 

The door-handle to his room silently twisted, the spring inside flexing without a single creak. As the door gently opened, yellow light flooded in from the landing, illuminating the boy that slept soundly before them. His breathing was still deeper on the exhale, his sleep undisturbed.  
The two ONI agents crept inside the cramped, messy room, one carrying the clone over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Ackerson gave a signal, Miles offering a thumbs up in kind. The situation was clear and with a large gloved hand, Ackerson shoved a cloth tight against John's mouth and nose, as he pressed the muzzle of the biojector to the boy's neck. It hissed as it administered the dose of sedative, John's eyes shooting open without delay. He tried to scream into the cloth but his throat quickly constricted and breath became shallow. His young body slumped back into the pillows and the commander easily lifted him out of the bed. Miles carefully placed the clone in his place, replicating John's sleeping position with a hand beside his cheek. He gave the all clear. 

As Ackerson was about to radio for extraction through his data-watch, John launched a fist at his chest, which he caught easily thanks to the inaccuracy and Miles was quick to administer another dose of the sedative in John's neck. John grimaced through the effort and the pinch of the high pressure stream before falling limp in the grasp of Ackerson's arms, his hand dangling down. The two agents shared a glance at one another and made a hasty retreat back to the pelican. At this hour, the surroundings were clear of any potential witnesses and so they took their time admitting John to cryo-stasis.  
"Clean extraction, well done," Ackerson commended as Miles pulled the ventilation mask from his face, the material pulling at his skin and ruffling his short hair.  
"He almost got you good there," he joked as Ackerson placed John into the cryo-chamber, the seals hissed shut and he locked the clasps, setting the pod to a short cycle.  
"Halsey's favourite," Ackerson scoffed as he took one last fleeting look at the boy before settling in a seat and letting his head fall against the bulkhead. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are, the morning after the big event and I went and left you all hanging for so long 👐🏻 I hold my hands up and apologise, as you can imagine, there's a lot going on and it just took me a little while extra to do my editing.
> 
> I personally find this chapter rather interesting and revealing, we meet a new character who will become very important to Parisa, let me know if you figure out the connections! 
> 
> I've also written the children as having surnames, that includes John which I figured was okay as nowhere mentions specifics, it's more for my plot benefit or at least for this chapter anyhow, I hope you don't mind!
> 
> Other than that, I hope everyone is staying safe. If you wanna chat leave a comment or you can email or reach out on Twitter, Snapchat and Tumblr
> 
> E: kittie.valentine@yahoo.com  
> T: @neon_kittie  
> S: treacle_pops  
> T: kittievalentine

The pulsing chime of the alarm lulled Parisa from her heavy slumber, her young body rolling over and contorting in a way that only a child could accomplish. A small, high-pitch squeek escaped as her muscles stretched comfortably and she hurried along to prepare for the first day of a new term at the Education Facility. This term excited her much more than the last; not a week ago, all attending pupils were sent the relevant documents detailing their tutors, course timetables and any important events to schedule during the year. John was in her form and he was rather pleased about it too. The pair had had fun ordering all of their apparatus and tech, John was particularly thrilled to see Parisa ordering a data-pad for the first time but knowing that she enjoyed writing and found comfort in the effort it took, he had bought her a leather journal whilst out with his mother one day. It was a marble effect design that he's been drawn to and he chose a grey tone just for it's neutral appearance. His mother had added that Parisa could match it with any colour so John just went along with it. 

Almost an hour later, fully dressed, fed and watered, Parisa made her way through the residential district, her backpack pulled tight and a bounce in her step. First days always seemed exciting for her, new tutors, new pupils in form but that all seemed to fall into a routine of the same-old-same-old once registration was finished for the day. The boys became boistrous again and the girls grouped together in their giggles. Parisa and John tended to just drift to one another whenever they didn't fit the crowd - they were their own type of people. She rounded the corner and stopped just outside John's abode, eagerly pressing the keypad and waiting for her friend to come running out. Only, he didn't. The hydraulics of the door's mechanism hissed as it opened and John's mother peered out, looking abnormally distressed. Her cheeks were no longer blushed and her skin without it's glow, her lips thinner and-  
"Oh Parisa, I'm so sorry," she gasped with slight exasperation, realising the time. Parisa just stood in her place, oblivious to the sincerity of Mrs Duncan's turmoil.  
"Is John not walking to school with me today?" she asked innocently, shaking her head lightly.  
"N-no, I'm afraid John's too poorly to even go to school," his mother replied with a tremble in her voice.   
"Why don't you pop back after you finish school and the medical officer's been? He might be better by then," she offered politely. It was the least she could do for his best friend, they had a lot of care for one another that was for sure.  
"Okay, goodbye Mrs Duncan," Parisa called as she left to continue on her way.

/-/-/-/-/

_'It all fell into place so quickly after John. As I said before, I don't regret any of this; right the way through, I am certain this will be worthwhile. May God have mercy on us all.'_

**September 10th, 2517  
Fleetcom, Military Complex  
Reach, Epsilon Eridani system**

So many different faces surrounded him, young faces that he didn't recognise walking along with him, no, not walking - marching along through the unknown facility that they currently found themselves. John's eyes searched desperately for any detail but the facility was sparse, devoid of any characteristics, it was spartan. His left hand pinched at the pocket of his khaki shorts and he felt the carved shape of Parisa's queen piece still in his possession.  
_'Where is she?'_ he thought to himself as they were pushed forward. She definitely wasn't going to be pleased with him now.  
His brain worked almost painfully hard to process what was going on and in the far reaches of his mind, he had the image of struggling with a man but was certain it was a dream and nothing significant.  
The children were led by people in special ops uniform, that much was clear and they directed the confused children into what looked like a lecture theatre, like the ones John's father told him about when he studied at University.  
_'We're not old enough for university,'_ John observed with a hint of confusion. His ears picked up on the hum of panic that settled over the young crowd.  
"How did we get here?"  
"What happened?"  
"How do I know?!"

Katherine Halsey stood, proud and confident at the foot of the holo-projector, admiring her progenies, her candidates, her _solution_ with an indifferent gaze. Her fingers were locked behind her back as she felt the uneasy clamminess of morality attempt to take over. She straightened her back, flexed her shoulders and addressed them all.  
"Take a seat, all of you." Pride swelled within her core as each child obeyed and silence fell in a wave. John's brow furrowed as he realised that he recognised her; she was the pretty lady that gave him the vintage coin.  
"Per naval code four-five-eight-one-two you are hereby conscripted into UNSC special project codenamed ORION-II also known as SPARTAN-II." Halsey was relentless with her approach, bombarding them with the clauses that bound them, made them property of the Office of Naval Intelligence. Some could say confusing them into obedience, Halsey just believed that treating them as adults would create adults.  
"Your parents are _gone_. The planet Reach is your new _home_. Your fellow trainees are your new _family_. Each one of you has been hand selected and called to _serve_. Your bodies are already stronger and faster than other children and _we_ are going to make them even _better_." Halsey briefly spotted Soren listening intently as her eyes gazed over each child. She made sure to emphasise their new situation and role in the universe. For optimum results, conditioning must begin early. The facility's artificial intelligence, Deja, stood beside the Lead Scientist ready to receive direction but she instead confidently turned to one of the officers, who stepped forward as if on cue.  
"Chief Petty Officer Mendez, escort the children to the Mess Hall. Feed them, get them to bed."

Mendez had a hard line for a mouth and his face was partly obscured by the shade of his cap. He had a shaped beard which was short but he was dark haired so his facial hair was well defined. His image seemed important by the look of it.  
"Trainees, fall out!" he instructed and as each child stood to leave, John was the last.

/-/-/-/-/

  
**Elysium City,  
Primary Education Facility,  
Number 119**

The hall was filled with the sound of light chatter as boys hurried each other up so they could go out into the recreation space, whilst girls sat and chatted in their cliques. That left Parisa who was sat quietly by herself at a round table with a bowl of flavoured noodles and thinly sliced beef. She was a polite eater, made very little mess in public but John always joked around calling her a demon when they were alone, they shared a good appetite. Her day had begun rather strangely, the seat beside her during registration empty but reserved for John and some of her fellow classmates shot her strange glances when she spoke up to say he was absent due to unexpected illness.   
"John and Parisa sitting by the lake..." one of John's friends started to chant but the tutor was quick to silence him. Whilst they found the quip amusing, the thought of being by the lake just reminded her of that night and a newfound fear. She'd absentmindedly rubbed at the rough skin on the back of her arm and wished John was with her.

"Can I sit here?" asked a boy, John's friend to be exact, the one who poked fun; she didn't know his name but his face was familiar. Parisa nodded silently, continuing to chew a slice of beef slowly to savour the juicy flavour.   
"It was just a joke," he started and Parisa glanced at him sideways in question as she swallowed.  
"What I said in registration, we just tease John that's all and when I saw he wasn't here..." Parisa tipped her head nonchalantly, her thoughts weren't preoccupied with the teasing between boys, she was worried about her friend; small talk just wasn't cutting it that day. She suddenly began to rummage through her backpack carefully sliding out her brand new data-pad. With a few taps she unlocked the pad and opened an application, completely forgetting the young lad sat with her. She typed out a short message, deciding that now was a good time to test the secret code they'd been talking about.

____________________  
_Private Message  
Sender: Parisa_Sanchez  
Receiver: John_Duncan  
Cc:  
Subject: Test_

Oly oly oxen free?

 _message end_  
____________________

Satisfied that the message had left the outbox and was sat safely in the sentbox, Parisa clicked the button at the top of the pad, locking the screen and sliding it back into her bag. She pulled the zips together neatly at the top as was her custom and returned to take a sip of her drink. She sat up to find the boy still beside her.  
"I'm Reuben by the way, Reuben Ackerson," he smiled.

/-/-/-/-/

It was mid-afternoon when Parisa came to a stop outside John's house for the second time that day and for an unknown reason she felt uneasy. Perhaps it was how distraught John's mother was that morning, maybe the fact John was so ill that he couldn't even respond to her message; Parisa had noted that it was still unread. She had been a little surprised at Reuben's politeness over lunch but the thought didn't linger as she pressed the keypad again. The door hissed open and Mrs Duncan welcomed the young girl inside, she held herself tightly, still visibly upset and without her usual confidence. The sight sent an unwelcome lump down Parisa's throat to finally settle in her stomach heavily.   
"Place your bag down sweetheart, it's okay. You can go and see him but he's really, _really_ poorly." Parisa carefully stowed her bag at the door so no-one could trip, she suddenly found anywhere but his mother's face interesting.  
"What's wrong with him?"   
"W-we don't know yet, the medical officer left a few hours ago, he did lots of tests and-"  
"Did John pass them?" Parisa interjected excitedly. John's mother let her shoulders sag but only a little, the small girl missed the tiny detail.   
"We'll know soon when the officer sends us his results but go on, run on up." She didn't need telling twice.

She was a tiny bit breathless when she reached the end of the hallway, almost slipping on the final step. She gently opened the door to John's room so not to startle him, innocently popping her head around and peering in at the drawn looking boy that lay in the bed with cushions plumped and duvet pulled up to his chest. Somewhat taken aback, Parisa carefully edged into the room to approach her friend. Her mouth opened and closed countless times, words failing to form, they disappeared before she herself even knew what they were. 

The mattress barely sank under her weight as she sat down beside John who was staring absentmindedly toward the back wall of his bedroom. Thoughts of the first day of term were recalled but it didn't seem like an appropriate topic of conversation; for the first time, Parisa didn't know how to start. She cautiously reached out and took his hand in hers without thinking, his fingers so much cooler than usual.   
"I missed you today," was all she managed. The boy turned his head with significant difficulty, the stiffness akin to a stubborn jar lid. As small as the victory was, the response sent enthusiasm tingling down her spine and she once again found her confidence. She jiggled herself to sit cross-legged and began to tell John about her day in the hope that he might respond.  
"So, you sit next to me in registration, I told the tutor you were ill and then your friend shouted something at me, I didn't find it very funny though," she frowned in attempt to sound mature. John stared vacantly at her, almost through her; not that she noticed.  
"We didn't do much in lessons, just had our term agenda and I met Reuben at lunch, he came and sat with me. He was kind to me." At the sound of the familiar name, John's lips stretched into a toothy grin, something that Parisa was extremely aware of all of a sudden. Her eyes instinctively snapped to the square pearls before her.  
"Your tooth's fixed," she proclaimed. Her brow furrowed in that cute way John always secretly liked but this John didn't admire the creasing of her brow.   
Realising the awkwardness and severity of her friend's ailments, she decided that now was a probably a good time to leave. She gave her friend a final wavering smile before retiring back down the stairs to where John's parents both sat holding Parisa's schoolbag and coat.

"His tooth got fixed," she said as she slipped her arms carefully into the jacket and turning to face his mother. Mrs Duncan gave her husband a questioning glance and kneeled before the young girl.  
"Which tooth do you mean sweetie?" To which Parisa pointed inside her own mouth at her front tooth.  
"-at one," she managed to muffle. John's mother chuckled and shook her head.  
"Sweetheart, we never noticed anything wrong with his tooth and there's nothing wrong now is there?" Parisa grimaced and insisted that John had chipped his tooth during a particularly rough game of King of the Hill however, she gave up on the verbal battle when all she received were pitiful expressions and for John's mother to politely usher her out. She was let out of the house and the door closed behind her. To put it lightly, she looked like a domestic cat that had been put out for the daytime hours and she stood only for a moment to ponder how deflated she suddenly felt that nobody believed her. She walked home in a sulk to begin copying down her weekly timetable into her data-pad's calendar.

/-/-/-/-/

As the evening rolled in, both children had been in uncharacteristically sullen moods. Food had been bullied around the plates at dinner before being scoffed quickly without enjoyment. Parisa's parents had been informed of John's condition so they chose not to question her behaviour, they knew the two were close and so didn't mind her sitting in silence or pouting. The events of that day had left them both exhausted early on, which was lucky as the children at Fleetcom had been ordered by CPO Mendez to get to bed in their dorms with lights out at ten PM. John didn't know where Parisa was and Parisa didn't know how John was. Neither had really spoken to anybody in depth but they'd both met someone new; Parisa found herself being introduced to Reuben and John had met a girl named Linda. He rolled onto his side as the wing was plunged into darkness, the action and Mendez's footsteps echoing down the corridor. His room was just as spartan, bare walls, bare floor, a simple bed, side table and hanging rail for clothes that were provided by the facility. He sighed, tucking his hand under the surprisingly soft pillow and held tightly onto the chess piece that he'd inadvertently kept, his breath deepening as sleep took him over.

Parisa felt miserable. She'd been so bored without her best friend, combined with the concern she felt for him, the whole thing was just a nightmare for a girl of her age. She'd gotten changed for bed and then prepped her bag for the next day, double checking what lessons she had and memorising the map so she wouldn't be late. The Education Facility didn't accept any excuses for lateness, even if the lessons were in classrooms they'd never been to. In her bag was the data-pad, slim pencil case and a few exercise books from the previous term that could be handed over. She sighed as she finally climbed into bed, sinking into the mattress and pulling the duvet tight around her. She nervously ran her fingernails over the rim of her teeth. It reminded her of John, she could have sworn he had chipped his tooth during King of the Hill, she'd even told him off for not being careful.  
_'Why would they say it never happened?'_ She thought. It left her confused and a tad upset but she wouldn't let the detail worry her for too long. Helping John get better was at the top of her priorities list, even if she was too young to understand priorities


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> I apologise for the unannounced hiatus but the way things have been over the past 12 months, it's been a case of taking things day-by-day.  
> To make up for my absence, I've tried to make this chapter a little longer, we're at the big build up where there's a lot happening but the next chapter will be the start of John's story. We've spent a lot of time with Parisa and seen how she's coped or not coped, it's time for John's stance on circumstances.
> 
> I can't guarantee how regularly I'll be able to post as I've been immensely busy trying to launch my graphic design business and trying to figure out a failing relationship so there's been a lot of things going on.
> 
> I hope everyone is safe and well, do comment even if it's just to get you talking, don't feel like you can't! I am available via Twitter, Snapchat and email: @neon_kittie  
> treacle_pops kittie.valentine@yahoo.com
> 
> Do drop me a message even to just say hi 😘 Anyway, on with the show!

**September 18th, 2517**

The first week had proved the hardest; Parisa felt as if something dark and unknown had slowly latched onto her tiny body, pulling her with imaginary force into a territory she was not comfortable nor familiar with. The adults would of course try to be kind with smiles that beamed of pity but eyes that screamed of the uncertainty that even they faced. These days without John were beginning to eat away at her young conscience; instead of the impending doom of preliminary exams, she wondered which boy was winning at King of the Hill now that the top spot was somewhat available, or who was top in the class for Science studies, who would walk home with her at night and who would enjoy her company as much as she enjoyed John's? _Who would gift her her favourite sweet?_ The voice in her head pressed.   
There was a sudden void in her life but it felt... off. It felt wrong, like two pieces of a puzzle weren't connecting but they were all present and correct. Occasionally she would mull it over, thinking back to different things that seemed out of the ordinary but the pieces just wouldn't go together. Not quite. 

Reuben Ackerson was one of John's friends and he'd taken a liking to Parisa based on that fact. He made absolute certain that he was polite in her company and extended the hand of friendship for when or if she felt ready. He was more refined than John, his hair always fixed by his mother, skin a healthy glow and clothes that were discarded at the first sign of wear. He supposedly came from an important family, one of wealth and it showed everywhere but his humility. The day in question however, came much sooner than anybody anticipated when he approached Parisa amidst the kerfuffle of registration and asked to sit next to her - in John's seat. She looked up at him blankly before nodding slightly.  
"Yes, you can keep me company," she said and he grinned in kind, plonking himself down.   
"That was the idea," he chided, leaning in toward her as he pulled out the latest model data-pad.  
They weren't scheduled a lesson together until the final period, which was mathematics. Parisa was an odd one with the subject, like a flower that bloomed in the wrong season, always later than the rest. As if by some miracle, she was understanding this particular topic and her boredom led her to gaze absentmindedly out of the large, floor-ceiling panel she sat beside. Her eyes flitted between the numerous Pelicans that hovered and left, transferring colonists and supplies alike, each one identified by a clear insignia. This did not go unnoticed. From across the room, Reuben sat gazing at her, idly flicking a stylus between his fingers, wondering what she was thinking of or rather _who_ she was thinking of. Sure, he'd heard the whispers of the adults, in particular and more surprisingly, his own parents. During the late evening, he'd overheard his mother on a holo-call to his father and he vaguely mentioned children falling ill suddenly. Reuben had crept carefully along the landing, keeping an ear open so's not to get caught. The conversation was too complex for him to understand but it worried him that his father seemed to know so much yet the Duncans so little.

_'-t do you mean disabled?' his mother gasped.  
'-gan failure. It will lead to death. The whole project is only a matter of time.' A short silence ensued.   
'-the parents? How will this affect them mentally?'  
'-her solution unfortunately. I under no circumstances condone her methods.' His father sounded irritated at the situation.   
'-ery single child with these ailments is bound for death?! John?'  
'-ake sure the next program is different. Safer.'_

It hadn't troubled him for too long as he was wrapped back up in bed when the fingers of chill began to nip at his toes.

/-/-/-/-/

**Room 103, Mathematics,  
Primary Education Facility,  
Number 119**

"-rational if it can be written as a fraction, one integer divided by another integer. The decimal form of a rational number is either a terminating or a recurring decimal." Today's mathematics lesson was 'surds', with exams due in the next month, teaching had switched to a one-a-day approach which left little time to focus on a topic.  
"-surd is an expression that includes a square root, cube root or other root symbol. Surds are used to write irrational numbers precisely because..." The tutor, Mr Murray, paused and the attention of the class swiftly followed his toward Parisa who was evidently not paying any mind.  
"Miss Sanchez," he called with an immediate air of sarcasm; Parisa's eyes averted to the front of the class.  
"You must be an expert in the subject to be wasting time staring out of a window. Give me an example of an irrational number."  
"Pie, three point one-four," she replied instantly but without attitude. Mr Murray hummed, satisfied with her response and continued on with the lesson, content to let her slack just this once. It only seemed fair considering the circumstances and the week prior had seen her form tutor have a quiet discussion with regards to her mental wellbeing and studies. She was a popular girl, she certainly didn't attract trouble and was destined for success if she continued to work hard. 

**November 10th, 2517**

Exactly one month had passed since John had changed and it had felt like an eternity, each day merging into the next with no sign of hope or improvement. Today's weather had a sudden sharp chill in the air that lingered and made one thankful to be indoors. The sky was overcast which left a haze of moisture hanging low in the valley where droplets of water were able to dance about the air in swirls and wafts.

The bed dipped ever so slightly under Parisa's familiar weight, the spot still warm from where she was already sat with her last minute revision spread haphazardly across the charcoal patterned duvet. She reached over and plucked up her stylus which had managed to slip into the groove between John's legs; he didn't move a muscle as Parisa settled again, speaking aloud as she read from the pad in front of her. Her eyes dared to glance occasionally over at the face that no longer showed the boyish charm she was drawn to. Instead it was ghostly pale and slightly damp with sweat, the sound of his raspy breath deafening as it was forced between the parted lips that Parisa ensured never got dry with her menthol lip balm. With a shaky breath, she resumed her notes, double checking that what she'd written would coincide with potential exam questions.   
There was something about his company and being near to him that brought comfort to her, although she found it terribly hard to see him this way and was still confused by his seemingly unharmed tooth and perfect, unblemished knuckles. He wasn't the same boy that she remembered but she continued to support him as a friend regardless and his parents were more than happy for that; Parisa's extraordinary sense of normality brought _them_ comfort. 

She'd been studying for a handful of hours, her thoughts deep in the subject she was currently studying when a notification pinged on her data-pad. It was Reuben but she didn't rush to open the message like she would John, she very maturely finished her reading before swiping the screen and checking what he had to say for himself.   
____________________  
 _Private Message  
Sender: Reuben_Ackerson  
Receiver: Parisa_Sanchez  
Cc:  
Subject:_

I'm heading out with my friends to the sandpit, do you want to join us?

_message end_  
____________________

Parisa pondered the message for a few moments, wondering if she really wanted to sit with a group of boys while they kicked up a load of dirt and got themselves all sorts of injuries. Was that what she fancied doing instead of revision? 

____________________  
 _Private Message  
Sender: Parisa_Sanchez  
Receiver: Reuben_Ackerson  
Cc:  
Subject:_

Sure, would you please meet me at my residence?

_message end_  
____________________

She took care to create titled bookmarks on her data-pad to mark where she reached in her daily revision before locking the screen and placing the pad in it's protective case. All other miscellaneous items like the stylus and her physical journals were stuffed into their places within her backpack and zipped up ready to go. She clambered off the bed and straightened the spot she had been perched, leaning over to give John a quick peck on the cheek. He gave no response and she bounced down the stairwell to go drop her things back at home where Reuben would be waiting.

When she arrived, he gave her a quizzical look to which she replied,   
"I was studying at John's, need to leave my bag here." Reuben watched as she disappeared inside but decided not to follow, he thought it would be impolite to just assume.   
"I brought you this, thought you might be hungry," he held out his arm to present her with a paper bag as she passed the threshold and into the bleak chill.  
"What is it?" she asked, surprised at how warm the package was.  
"Pork bun." He'd picked it up along the way to her home.  
"Th-thank you," she said with a little apprehension.   
_'It's not my favourite but it was kind of him,'_ she thought. He simply smiled and they walked on together. 

Only a quarter of an hour and they arrived at the sand-pit, Jo- Reuben's friends were already in the thick of a match, their mingled breaths visible in the cold. It was a close tussle for first place and Parisa found herself rolling her eyes. If John were here she knew exactly what he'd do to secure his place as winner.  
 _'Swipe the opponent's support leg to gain advantage over their balance and use the momentum to push them out of the arena.'_ A lopsided grin ate at the corner of her mouth and she sat at log bench to spectate. It wasn't long however, before her presence attracted some unwanted and unwarranted attention. A boy with buzz cut, ginger hair shouted from atop the mound making sure his voice was heard.  
"Where's yer boyfriend, is he still dyin'?!" Parisa's gut wrenched and her throat suddenly felt tight as she fought back the tears that threatened to drown them all, at least she wished that's what would happen if she did cry. Instead, she settled for hurrying back home whilst Reuben was busy chastising his friend for upsetting her.

/-/-/-/-/

**November 20th, 2517,  
Elysium Leisure Centre,  
Elysium City,  
Eridanus II**

The local leisure centre biannually converted the large sports hall to accommodate exams taken by education facilities in the area, Pairsa's was one of them and today marked the day of her preliminary exams. So many months of studying and continued revision even through John's illness which had deteriorated over time. In a single file line, they were led into the hall which had a non-slip PVC covering fitted to the floor and individual desk spaces set up. Each student was provided the necessary equipment so to avoid attempts at cheating. Parisa personally didn't see the point in cheating because it just proved you hadn't learnt anything and where does empty air get you? Precisely.  
The exam moderators that were present for her set of exams explained the time allotments, rules on communication and the use of equipment, it was all standard and eventually they were able to begin. Parisa aimed to do her best and set about the first page of questions.

**December 1st, 2517**

She had barely passed. All of that studying and revision. The confidence she felt. It was all an illusion. The key core subjects she needed to pass in order to progress and she had failed them. Her parents were going to be immensely disappointed in her and she feared that more than the consequences of her failure. She'd had to endure the embarrassment of a review with her tutor, as had everybody but she'd failed and had to have that 'talk' about it not being the end of the road and that things can be fixed. Parisa just nodded and promised to do better, what more could she do? 

She at least had the decency to be honest and let her parents know she had been unsuccessful before walking home from the Education Facility. Her feet dragged a little and scuffed the shoes she was wearing, the rubber of the soles fraying.  
The door opened and an overwhelming wave of dread washed over her like the waft of hot air from a kitchen. Her father was already sat in the dining area and called her over.   
"I think you know what's coming," he started and that was enough to break the floodgates. A large hand reached out and soothed at her arm as she sat at another chair.  
"Darling, listen to me. You're six years old and you just took your first preliminary exams right?" Parisa nodded and a hiccup reared it's head causing a pain in her chest.  
"These are the first of many, many, many tests you'll take in your lifetime and not all of them are written on paper." The teary eyed girl looked up at him, a part of her still terrified that he was mad about her results.  
"You're still a baby and we know early on where you've struggled so what we do now is prepare for next time. You learn from your mistakes, each failure is two steps toward success. You acknowledge where you went wrong and then you make sure it doesn't happen again. Deal?" He raised his eyebrows expectantly.  
"Deal," Parisa murmured.  
"Life is full of tests that we have to overcome, just look at John, you've treated him with the same level of energy and kindness as if he were still able bodied. That's a test that many would fail." Parisa remained silent and allowed him to continue; she had few words where John's condition was concerned.  
"Here, I took this the day we went to the lake to run some tests of our own, I know you like to collect physical affects." He handed her a glossy square of thick paper that was matte on one side. She flipped it over and staring back was the photograph of herself clinging onto John's hand by the lake. She smiled, clutching it tightly to her chest as if it were a treasure.  
"Did your tests pass from the lake?" she asked. Her father's shoulders shook as he chuckled slightly.  
"Nope, some of them were completely unexplainable and John's father and I had to do more research to find the answers!" He jabbed at her rubs lightly with his elbow.  
"See, we don't always succeed at first but as long as you do your best, there's nothing more anyone can expect of you."

Meanwhile, at the Duncan household, John's mother cried, her throat sore and ragged from screaming at her husband to call the Medical Officer. She swallowed deeply and it felt as though shards of glass and sand were ragging the thick skin. John was coughing up substantial amounts of blood but the weak state his body was in meant his throat was constricting and causing him to almost choke on the fluids. His condition was now desperate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It is very nearly the day of John's demise and I've stuck to lore as closely as I can where chronology is concerned. 
> 
> Next chapter we take a look at John's progress at Fleetcom and how he's dealing with teamwork. 
> 
> As always, thank you so much for reading and thank you to those who follow my writing ❤️

**Author's Note:**

> Well, how about that then?  
> We'll see in the next chapter how John gets on with a surprise visit!
> 
> Please leave a comment to let me know what you think or if you just wanna get in touch, I always have time to reply. 
> 
> Love you all and your support x


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